A present for you on this Christmas Day · 8:44am Dec 25th, 2022
It's been awhile, hasn't it? ...okay too long. I've been getting the next chapter of Final Filly Fantasy done, just... not fast enough. Sorry, a lot of things just keep happening around me that are getting in my way of making any progress on it, but I'll leave a preview of the next chapter at the end of this spiel.
I don't know where to start about my woes, but judging by the scratching that's coming from behind me, I guess I should start with the mouse that's inside my wall. Yes, a mouse, in the wall where the head of my bed is against. I've tried pounding the wall, snarls and scratches, the scent of peppermint, even sound...
...but nothing seems to be working at riding me of this creature. As far as I can tell with the untouched bait, it hasn't entered my room, but it still feels like I'm in a horror movie with a thin layer between me and this monster. Night before Christmas, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse, ...my butt.
Work isn't any better. They've been adding Saturdays for weeks now and refuse to hire any more workers, and their reasons were announced a few weeks ago... me and 1,349 workers well be out of a job at the end of February as the factory will be having a shutdown that's planned to last for half a year.
These are just two of the things that are disturbing me from focusing on finishing this story, let alone, chapter. I haven't even mentioned that I'm getting my bottom wisdom teeth removed, my stiff joints, my falling hair, and I swear that a ghost is following me...
...but these are just the things as of now that's being an issue with me since April. True, I've made a few stories during that time...
...yet I haven't given up on FFF. I was a little bit stuck in some areas in the chapter, but as of now, I'm somewhere near 7.5k words in with no clear idea of when it will end. For now, I hope you'll enjoy the first portion of it and return for the full chapter when it's completed.
Standing at the edge of the grassy cliff, Tempest Shadow and Second Wind find themselves in the same predicament their teammates went through and try to figure out a way to cross the steep and wide valley below them. Wind is fiddling with the panel of his metallic wing for something that could lower them safely into the valley, but he's searched through nearly his entire inventory, "I'm not finding anything that could be helpful, Tempest."
Tempest Shadow has been letting her eyes wander about, taking in the landscape as she drifts her sight until it catches something by her hoof. Steps back, observing a small white flower as it sways to the breeze, "A Shining Bird."
"Hmm?" Wind looks up into the empty sky, "...where?" he looks at Tempest and follows her gaze, "...the flower?"
"They're often sought after for their healing properties, so it's rare to find these in the wild."
The information leads Wind's mind to reflect back on the Ochu Stalks, recalling how Tempest identified those as well, "You seem to have an interest in plant life, Tempest. Are you into botany?"
"It's just something I once read about in a medical book."
"Medical!" Wind now begins to remember the conversation they had with The Ice Queen and how Tempest identified her autism, "So you have an interest in becoming a doctor!"
"No," she casually denies, "I often read a lot of books, mostly medical ones when I was a filly; but, I was never interested in becoming a doctor."
"Then what got you interested in reading about such a difficult subject?"
"I was hoping that I could... find something," Tempest gently lays a hoof on her broken horn.
Wind rubs the back of his neck, trying to find a way to handle the spot he dug too deep into, "...you know what, we should try to come up with something that can capture you!"
"Capture me?"
"Like when I lost my wing. When it was gone, I also lost the ability to fly, something that expresses what it means to be a pegasus. To me, it felt like a thrilling experience, something that got the heart pumping and dared me to face any challenge. I needed something to help me with recapturing that feeling again. Becoming a royal guard and having an adventure like the one we're on now is really helping with that feeling of flying. So I'm suggesting that we should find something similar for you!"
Tempest shifts her vision.
"Well? What do you think?"
"I think we found a way over the valley."
Tempest deflects the topic as she points towards a giant airship that's resting on the same plane they stand on. It's a stroll away, but the only option they seem to have at the moment.
"Let's ask if we could hitch a ride." Tempest makes her way towards the aircraft.
Leaving him to huff at her disregard for answering, Second Wind gallops up alongside Tempest and continues his attempt to motivate her, "Now let me think. If I recall correctly, unicorns tend to rely on their emotions to perform spells. So we need to focus on something that has a lot of emotion to it, like singing or writing poetry."
"I don't think I have it in me to be a poet, and singing... I can't open up my mind to the idea."
"Well, I can think of one more option that could work, but..." he eyes Tempest, "...I'm having a tough time just fracturing the surface layer."
"..."
"...maybe we should try a different approach, one that addresses you more directly, a passion for something."
"Don't have one."
"There's that layer again," Wind miffs aloud, "...let's start at square one and work our way from there to find out what thrills you. Tell me, what's your cutie mark?"
Tempest stops on a hoof with a stomp. She maintains her composure with a deep breath, "...this perusement is completely redundant. I don't need some kind of hobby to compensate for anything."
"You don't, huh?" a coy smile appears on him, "Then there shouldn't be any issue if I asked you to tell me the last time you had fun."
His request doesn't falter Tempest, but the mundane look in her expression tells that she's not inclined to reply.
"Something that felt exciting or made you want to toy around with. I'll even accept an incident that made you blush, just tell me a moment where you felt like you were alive."
"...the thoughts escape me," Tempest continues for the airship, a bit quicker than before.
With her decision made, Wind surrenders to her strong will with the rolling of his eyes, "Maybe it's a unicorn thing to act off of their emotions."
